Many academic Libraries adopted CD-ROM technology with the purpose of increasing access to information . The study results on the use of CD-ROMs confirms the power and efficiency involved in such use, and also documents some of the librarians' unrealistic expecta-tions on this use. In this study, CD-ROM's impacts on library services, collection develop-ment, library staff and users are measured.

Aside from the common criteria used for evaluation of CD-ROM use in academic libraries, Puerto Rico libraries have another criterion, e.g. the methods used for teaching students how to use CD-ROM by a Spanish speaking population. Libraries need to develop of an effective bibliographic instruction to prepare students for CD-ROM search. This paper will describe and analyze both CD-ROM use and impact at the University of the Sacred Heart library.

2. BACKGROUND

At NIT '90: The 3rd International Conference of New Information Technology in Gua-dalajara (1990), Joseph Harzbecker (1990) presented the problems of CD-ROM use in the Boston University Medical Center Library. Some of the problems were:

• Users do not read menus,

• Tutorials or instruction on CD-ROM not sufficient,

• Excessive printouts, and

• The frustration of users when they found a journal that is not part of their collection.

To prepare for this conference, I thought about our own CD-ROM experience at the Sacred Heart University, and hypothesized that the M.M.T. Guevara Library does not have those problems articulated by Harzbecker. But to be sure, it was necessary to evaluate our use of CD-ROM products and services.

The University of the Sacred Heart installed a CD-ROM workstation in September 1990 with ERIC on disc by Dialog. On January 1991, ABI Inform was also installed. The CD-ROM service is located at the Serial Collection. In the beginning the search was made for the users by the Serials Librarian and by the Evenings and Saturdays Librarian-Coordinator. A few month later by February 1991, students began to make searches on their own with the librarians' instruction. End-User searching started without integrating CD-ROM searching in the Bibliographic Instruction Program. Bibliographic instruction was offered only on an individual basis, and this is still the way that the service is provided. Students learn how to use CD-ROM on their own with basic instruction from staff. With the popularity of CD-ROM, it became clear that hit is necessary to evaluate others alternatives to one-to-one instruction.

3. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use and impact of CD-ROM services and possible repercussion on the bibliographic instruction program at the University of the Sacred Heart. The objectives of the study are:

• Identify and determine what instruction is necessary for Spanish speaking users,

• Determine satisfaction of users to explore future additions of CD-ROM database and changes in hardware.

4. METHODOLOGY

A survey was conducted, in March 1991, with 53 students enrolled in Administration 250 undergraduate course, who had to use the ABI Inform Database for a class assignment related to an essay and an oral presentation. Students were given a half hour slot for CD-ROM use. A ten point Likert Scale was used to measure the opinion variable; where the ends points were labelled "not satisfactory" and "very satisfactory".

The students were asked in five different areas:

1) Information usefulness;

2) Librarian instruction;

3) Search strategies;

4) Bibliographic citations found; and

5) The time/ schedule/slot system used to provide the service.

5. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The 53 students of the study showed the following demographic characteristics:

• 6 freshmen,

• 31 sophomores,

• 10 juniors and

• 6 seniors.

They where asked about their familiarity with the CD-ROM equipment. Responses indicated that 83% never used CD-ROM, in contrast with 13% who had used it before. Other question was if they consider CD-ROM hard to use. Responses indicated that 81% said there was no difficulty and 15% said it was hard. These results are similar to other studies in the United States (Allen, 1990).

Ninety one percent (91%) considered they could use CD-ROM equipment on their own and only 5% think they could not. When students were asked if they would recommend CD-ROM technology, 92% said yes and 4% said no. Michalak (1990) stated that students recom-mended use of CD-ROM because they have found that it helps in bibliographic searching.

Seventy seven percent (77%) considered that a half hour was enough time to accomplish a search to locate five articles for an essay in comparison with 19% who considered it was not. One of the aspect covered in the general questions was if the students believed that retrieved information responded to their expectations: 94% answered yes and 6% said no.

The findings that involve the five areas mentioned above and the core objectives of this study will be discussed separately here:

In the area of Information Usefulness, 73% indicated that it was very satisfactory; con-trasting to 4% who responded that it was not. This supports the findings of similar studies that present an increase in CD-ROM use versus a decrease in the use of the printed indexes once the compact disc was available (Schuldz, 1990).

Librarians instruction was evaluated as very satisfactory by 66% of respondents versus 2% responded that it was somewhat satisfactory. It is important to mention that librarians learned by themselves how to search in ABI Inform just one month before the program was accessible for students. The opinion scale showed that 66% of the students responded that search strategies were very satisfactory while 6% thought it was not. Considering that one CD-ROMs was only installed in September 1990 while the other in February 1991, the find-ings support the effectiveness of library instruction.

On Bibliographic Citations found, 60% represented those who were very satisfied versus 6% who were not. The search strategies structures offered by librarians during the individual instruction were pertinent and relevant. This is supported by the high degree of satisfaction and success in retrieving bibliographic citations.

The final aspect studied was the time/schedule/slot system established to book students for CD-ROM searching: 47% was very satisfied while 6% was not. A time slot of thirty minutes was considered as very satisfactory by 47% of the respondents while 6% perceived it as insufficient. This findings are similar to those in others studies on the similar question. Half hour is enough time to this type of search. Other studies support this, but at same time they suggest that additional time may be necessary depending on purpose and level of the search.

To evaluate and analyze students opinions on searching satisfaction and overall service associate with CD-ROM a frequency distribution by percentages was done. This distribution groups students answers in thirds to create a scale that assists in determining degree of satis-faction among the population studied. The scales were divided in the follow terms: VERY SATISFACTORY, SATISFACTORY and SOMEWHAT SATISFACTORY. 38% agreed that, in general, the service was very satisfactory; 30% appointed that was satisfactory and 32% said that it was somewhat satisfactory.

When analyzing overall satisfaction it is pertinent to keep in mind two points:

1) CD-ROM searching services were installed six month before the study, and

2) End-user searching began only one month prior to the evaluation/study.

Considering the aspects mentioned above and the overall high satisfaction of respon-dents, it can concluded that individual bibliographic instruction was quite effective.

6. CONCLUSION

The results of this study pointed out to the factors which have to be considered for developing a CD-ROM instruction for Spanish speaking population. A combination of stra-tegies and methodologies in a Bibliographic Instruction Program will be more successful for learning how to use CD-ROM. A written aid, and guides in Spanish can help in teaching searching effectively on individual instruction.

However, the popularity of CD-ROM makes its necessary to develop others strategies than the present one-to-one instruction. Teaching one the use of Boolean or logical operators to a larger number of students is only possible through group instruction. This will reduce the number of new users if hand-on experience is available for each student integrated in a formal group instruction with additional instruction in Spanish to reinforce their skills. Computer Assisted Instruction, Spanish help screens, videos and training modules are part of the metho-dologies that could be used.

Others aspects that librarians should evaluate are limiting of printouts, down loading citations, charges or fees for printouts and allocation of time slots. All of them will be included in the Services Policy or in the Library's Procedures Manual. At present, M.M.T.Guevara Library established a use policy for CD-ROM where these aspects are covered.

With the possibility of an integrated Bibliographic Instruction Program in the curriculum, its important to consider the levels in which CD-ROM searching will be taught. Advanced searching will require higher levels of competence according to the information needs asso-ciated with the different programs at the university. This is a special opportunity to interact with the faculty and coordinate a relevant instruction with specific objectives for the course.

This could also mean that an adequate number of staff will be trained on CD-ROM search and microcomputer use. Its important for staff to take time to learn about CD-ROM sources either by themselves, or in seminars and/or workshops so that they will be in control when making a search. This is also the best form to combat technophobia.

CD-ROM use has implications in collection development as well. It is necessary to eva-luate either the collection or the demand for materials that library does not own when retrieved bibliographic sources came from a CD-ROM.

Futures additions of hardware and CD-ROM products depend on the expected use of the CD-ROM databases received. This study confirms that University of the Sacred Heart students feel at ease with CD-ROM searching. Continuing evaluation on the use of CD-ROM products and services against meeting users' information needs, curricular changes, and students and faculty population shifts will be essential.

7. RECOMMENDATIONS

The evaluation of CD-ROM service at the University of the Sacred Heart is the first step in the process of evaluation the use of new technology for retrieving information.

Others studies are suggested to explore the level of satisfaction on the use of others CD-ROM databases, the differences between undergraduates and graduates students in CD use, and many others. All of them may present significant findings which can help to develop an effective Bibliographic Instruction Program for an academic library.

8. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allen, Guillian, "CD-ROM training: What do the patrons want?" RQ, 30: 88-93 (Fall 1990).

Breivik, Patricia, "Making the most of libraries," Change, pp. 42- 52 (July/August 1987).

Breivik, Patricia, "Preparing today's students for tomorrow's world," Workshop at University of the Sacred Heart (February, 1991).

Bunge, Charles A, "CD-ROM stress," Library Journal, 116 (7): 63- 64 (April 1991).

Cardman, Elizabeth R, "The gender gap in computer use: Implications for bibliographic instructions," Research Strategies, (3): 116- 128 (Summer 1990).

Harzbecker, Joseph, "The problems of CD-ROM use in a University Medical Center Library: Public service considerations," In The 3rd International Conference of New Information Technology, Proceedings, edited by Ching-chih Chen. West Newton, MA: MicroUse Information, 1990. pp. 165-172.

Michalak, Joseph, "Observations on the use of CD-ROM in academic libraries," The Serials Librarian, 17 (3/4): 63- 67 (1990).

Reese, Jean, "CD-ROM technology in libraries: Implications and considerations," The Electronic Library, 8 (1): 26- 32 (February 1990).

Schultz, Kim & Salomon, Kristine, "End-users respond to CD-ROM," Library Journal, 56- 57 (February 1990).

Zink, Steven D., "Planning for the perils of CD-ROM," Library Journal, 51- 55 (February 1990).
 
 

University of the Sacred Heart
M.M.T. Guevara Library
Serials Collection

1. Are you________ freshman

________ sophomore

________ junior

________ senior ?

2. Which CD-ROM did you use?
 

________ ABI Inform

________ ERIC on disc

3. Have you ever used a CD-ROM before?
 

________ Yes

________ No

4. Did you find CD-ROM hard to use?
 

________ Yes

________ No

5. Considered that you can use CD-ROM by your self?
 

________ Yes

________ No
 

________ Yes

________ No

7. Was the time enough for the searching?
 

________ Yes

________ No
 

________ Yes

________ No
 

________ Bibliographic citations found

________ Information usefulness

________ Librarians strategies

________ Search strategies

________ The time/schedule/slot system